Parachute release mechanism



May 17, 1949. M. E. BANcoRA PARACHUTE RELEASE MECHANISM Filed June 10, 194e Patented May 17,4949

322,470,457 ERABAGHUTELEELEASET.MEQHANISM emoridgarddrnoorm Rosarioemgentinanas- 'then Secretal-yaoff War Application ,Jamo

f6 Gl'aims.

t invention reiates'ftne .mechanism fer automatically; releasing anara'enute .et-aprecietermined. altitude`v and atmospheric "pressure iLAn .essential object .Qf inisjlnvention 'isv to pro- .'vide an improved.'meeharrismforgthe `parachute Vof a personleaving anselrplanefat,ahigh altitude which meehanisrn :gyrill'gautomatically and nuicklr' pull the ripeordanoreiease the pereichute at .a predetermined altitude and-einles- `pherie pressure.,V independently of variations in the" ambient temperature.

Y A .more particular .oibiert o f this '..inviention is iofprevide suon en' y.ani@matie.'.nnraennte release mechanism wherein .a :pressure responsive `def poses of thisiinvention.

'"In'the'draw'ings: n

Fig. r1v is al longitudinal, rsectonal, view ltaken lthrough this improved. paitaolrll..te/release,rneoha- .,erat-ive or set positionmolmted' non'` theyfpara- "chute Fig.. 3 is a crosssectional=view taken' online {My improvedrelease mechanism; asdescribed in this case, .comprisesuaSupporting 'frame kIl ,-which is preferably-in'thefonn' of La-'housing that supports and'i'inclosesthe' operating elements, and this rrarnepoihousingfis .adapted to -be-mountedonine-parachute .peek 1:2, adjacent to the' closing-map andjin association with the rip cord/1 4 andthe 'rip Acord `handle'l,

jas indicated 'in Fig.' .1 'lthedliawrig," ina, .Silit- Aableposition for puliinszthe ripvecrn .out vor .the

"look sinds' |46to"re1eese1tneipnrachute:nomithe mank.

"In this improved mechanisme 4Slelf've .2l :is Secured the housings and; aybar or 2 2 is .slidably inwinnen;"insaidu sleerefand. extends partly Hthrough en epertnrensnerhousing. .Anarmzzs .riveted .to tnelextenoingspartlzlfer saremo and hasane1bow1s wits' bivo'fed endinciuaing 19416;Serial'iNmlM anedge f. part-25' arranged-.lto-J abutfthe rod limiti'themovem'ent; ofnsaidsarmf '23 toward the housingibeyond sits A i1-lusinatedf right-.anglefposition. l'l-Iowever, "the elbowif25 yper-mits 1 the arm 6 to lswing onitspivotoutwardly-@away-from the housilfier,L when thel--rip'icord hand1e-l5,"is pulled 1manusrily; so as tol-idrawfl :the-` ripf cord to which=saidarmf23 is connected.

- pressed position -between therecess`- 28 of `said `-collar-fand the insidev of the housing =.wa-ll. 1-'Ihe Anollardllasrafbeveled surface 29 -on its other end lwhichcooperateswitha,-q1liok action vor"trigger -devi'ee ltoiqui'clly' release `l `or yto fue vthis 'release mechanism hat Aa predetermined -v altitude and pressure;

VT lfieitrigger device, as illustrated herein, in- -cludies atrigger-member or arm- 3|,ebeng prefierably composed' -of -two-spaced barge-as `VIshown -in Fig. 3 ,a-lso .1 a pressure responsive member --Whic-h is preferably *inf the -form y-of Var-loellows "32 that-may be Vspringlloadedf and vane intercon.. '-ne'cting over-center'lnkage-or trip means 33 in- 'kterposed -betweensaidtrigger arm`3| andy-said bellows-'32, `for releasingrthe varm from Athe -spring seat Lupen a predetermined lcontraction of the #bellows Saidfarm 3l Ais vpivotedfat one-'fend by apin33'4 -infthahousingand'has a--roller (i5-at thel other end engaging the-'beveled part" 29 of 35 'collar l'21. The bellows 32is-adjjustably mounted \-fby a rod-Bf-securedfonone end-of? the bellows and beingIA- lorrgitudinallygadjustable in the `hous- "ingby -nuts=\'3'| -v'vlrichv are -mounted in'` a cap` 38 'securedonthfhousing. "The -trip' linkage 33,-as

housing, said 4pin 42 having also pivoted thereto f a' llink 4'.45 which -is--pivotedj by- -a pin` 46 to bracket 'lugsllwsecuredJto the eridof bellows 32.

*When a person or article carrying a parachute 'equipped vwith` this 4release mechanism leaves .an

airplane at ai lhigh altitude: where the .atmosfpheric pressure is less' than thepredetermined i-value* and where this -devi'ce isv then. normally at rest with'the'nbellowseirpan'ded, the trip llinkf ase istheld .against eisten member 48 :whiehzis retained edjustably "in .'.Iileee by .a .screw @49 ."ihreesiediinra iereelseinrmi'.iixed..in1ihe.ihens "I6 ing. VJThetrililinkage 334 is then'held 'straight and the arm 3| is held in its locking position against the beveled surface 29 of collar 21 so as to retain spring 26 in its compressed position. As the person with the parachute and attached mechanism thereafter descends to a denser atmosphere where the ambient pressure falls below the predetermined value, the bellows contract and the trip linkage moves away from stop 48, until the over-center trip linkage moves past dead center, and the component of the spring pressure which acts radially of collar 21, serving to press roller 35 outwards on the beveled edge 29 of the collar, will cooperate with the release action of the bellows in suddenly triggering or snapping the arm 3| with its roller 35 clear from the collar 21, whereupon the rod 22, under pressure of spring 26, is plunged outward quickly and its arm 23 pulls the rip cord of the parachute for releasing the latter.

In order to prevent the mechanism from ring when not in use, a safety catch 52, movable in a cap 53 on the housing, is pressed inward through an aperture in the wall of the housing into engagement with the beveled part of collar 21 and is held there by means of a manually operable safety pin 54, as shown in Fig. 1.

In setting or preparing the mechanism for use, the ambient pressure, that is the altitude of firing, is preset or predetermined by adjusting the adjustment nut 31 for correctly positioning the bellows 32 in the housing. The mechanism is then set at ground level by manually forcing the rod 22 inward into its sleeve against the pressure of spring 26, and the rod is then locked in position by means of safety catch 52 held by pin 54, as shown in full line position in Fig. 1. This mechanism is then secured in such a set position on the parachute pack with which it is to be used. At such ground level the bellows 32 is contracted and the trip linkage 33 and the trigger arm 3| are also in their retracted or released position. When the parachute with this mechanism is then taken up to a high altitude, Where the atmospheric pressure is below the predetermined pressure, the trip linkage 33 and the trigger arm 3l are automatically forced into holding position by the expansion of the bellows 32, into the position shown in the drawing. Immediately before jumping from the airplane, the safety pin 54 is withdrawn, as indicated by the dotted line position in Fig. 1, thereby unlocking the safety catch 52. However, because of the reduced pressure of the ambient atmosphere the trigger arm 3| remains in locked position in engagement with the beveled part of collar 21, thereby preventing operation of the mechanism for opening the parachute until the jumper falls to an altitude at which the atmospheric pressure equals the predetermined" pressure and altitude. At this altitude the trigger device is automatically fired and the rip cord is pulled automatically, so as to open the parachute.

It should be noted that this automatic release device will not interfere with the manual operation of the rip cord I4 by its handle l5, because of the pivotal arrangement of arm 23 on rod 22. Thus, when jumping from a point below said predetermined altitude and pressure the safety pin 54 will not be withdrawn from safety catch 52, and the jumper simply pulls the rip cord I4 by means of the handle I in the usual manner, therewith merely swinging the arm 23 on its pivot, away from the housing, along in its movement with the rip cord handle and rip cord.

I claim:

1. An automatic parachute release mechanism arranged for mounting on a parachute pack in association with the rip cord and the means for manually pulling said cord, said mechanism comprising a plunger and means for connecting it with the rip cord, said connecting means being movable on the inactive plunger when the rip cord is pulled manually, means for actuating said plunger to withdraw the rip cord automatically, and a snap action device to normally hold said plunger actuating means restrained above a certain altitude, said device including pressure responsive means to actuate it and suddenly release said plunger actuating means from restraint so as to operate the plunger for pulling the rip cord when the mechanism descends below said certain altitude.

2. An automatic parachute release mechanism comprising a support to be mounted on a parachute pack and carrying a spring normally under restraint, a plungeroperable by the spring and including means connectable with the rip cord of the parachute pack, safety means to secure the plunger and spring inactive and being released before starting a descent, means to hold the plunger and thereby retain the spring in its restrained position, pressure responsive means, and an over-centerV trip linkage normally retaining the holding means in its set position and being sprung into release position by the pressure responsive means to free the holding means and spring and therethrough actuate the plunger and rip cord when the mechanism descends from a higher altitude to a predetermined altitude and atmospheric pressure.

3. An automatic parachute release mechanism comprising a supporting housing to be mounted on a parachute pack and containing a plunger having an arm movably mounted thereon and arranged for connection with the rip cord of the parachute pack, said arm being movable on said plunger by action of the connected rip cord when the rip cord is pulled manually, a spring for actuating the plunger automatically, safety means for securing the plunger inactive and being manually releasable before starting on a descent, a member to normally hold the plunger with the spring retracted, a bellows, and an over-center trip linkage normally retaining said member in its holding position and being sprung into release position by action of said bellows to free the member and thereby extend the spring and the plunger and pull the rip cord when the mechanism descends from a higher altitude to a predetermined altitude and atmospheric pressure.

4. An automatic parachute release mechanism comprising a housing to be mounted on a parachute pack, a bellows mounted adjustably in the housing, a spring in the housing being normally under compression, a plunger in the housing carrying a seat for the spring and extending in part beyond the housing, an arm pivoted to said extending part and being arranged for connection to the rip cord of the parachute pack for automatically pulling the same, said arm being swingable on the pivot when the rip cord is pulled manually, a trigger member mounted in the housing to engage said seat and retain the plunger in position, and a trip linkage operably connected to said bellows and to said trigger member, thereby normally retaining said member in its holding position to be Sprung by operation of the bellows on descent from a higher altitude to a predetermined altitude and atmospheric pressure so as to release the member from the seat and let the spring automatically actuate the plunger and rip cord.

5. An automatic parachute release mechanism comprising a housing to be mounted on a parachute pack, an evacuated bellows mounted in the housing, a spring in the housing, a member in the housing carrying a seat for the spring and also carrying a part connectable to the rip lcord of the parachute pack, a trigger arm mounted in the housing to be braced against a beveled part of said seat and retain the member with the spring in the retracted position, safety means for securing said member inactive and being manually releasable before starting a descent, and a trip linkage operably connected to said bellows and to said trigger arm to normally retain the arm in the holding position to be sprung by collapsing of said bellows upon descending into a predetermined altitude and atmospheric pressure, whereby said trip linkage will promptly move said arm away from said beveled part of the seat, under the aid of pressure of the releasing spring, for extending the spring and arm to Dull the rip cord.

6. An automatic parachute release mechanism comprising a housing to be mounted on the parachute pack, a bellows adjustably mounted in the housing, a spring in the housing, a plunger in the housing carrying a, seat for the spring and also a pivoted part on the plunger connectable to the rip -cord of the parachute pack, said pivoted part being swingable on its pivot by action of the connected rip cord when the rip cord is pulled manually, a trigger arm mounted in the housing and including rounded -means to engage a beveled part of the seat and retain the plunger with the spring in the retracted position, safety means whereby to secure said plunger inactive and being manually releasable before a descent, and a, trip linkage operably connected to said bellows and to said trigger arm to normally retain the arm in the holding position and to be sprung by action of the bellows upon descending from a higher altitude into a, predetermined altitude and atmospheric pressure, whereupon said trip linkage will slide said rounded means speedily away from the beveled part of the seat, under the aid of pressure of said spring, for extending the spring and arm to pull the rip cord.

MARIO rmUARDol BNCORA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,227,230 Aikman May 22, 1917 1,802,486 Summers Apr. 28, 1931 2,353,440 Bresee July 11, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 585,265 Great Britain Feb. 3, 1947 814,497 France Mar. 22, 1937 

